“UThixo uluthando” (1 Yohane 4:8)
Njengokufihlwa. Uyayibona kwaye ugcine yonke into? Njani, asibonakali. Uyasibona sonke? Ke wena, Thixo wam, akubazi bonke obabonayo; kodwa ngokukuthanda wazi abo bakuthandayo, uzibonakalalisa kubo kuphela. Ukuba liLanga lifihliwe kuyo yonke indalo efayo. Unyukela kubakhonzi bakho, sibabona bevuka kuwe, ababesenyanyeni ngenxa engaphambili: abahenyuzi, nabakrexezi, nabakhululekileyo, nabangaboni, nababuthi berhafu. Ngenguquko baba ngoonyana bokuKhanya kwakho okuNgcwele. Ngapha koko, ukuKhanya, ewe, kuzala ukukhanya, ngako oko nabo baba kukukhanya, abantwana bakaThixo, njengoko kubhaliwe kwathiwa (Nd. 81, 6), noothixo ngobabalo, abo balilahlayo ihlabathi elingento neliyinkohliso, babathiye abazali nabazalwana babo bengenantiyo, bezigqala njengabaphambukeli nabasemzini ebomini; abo baya kuzihlutha ubutyebi nezinto eziphathekayo, becekisa ngokupheleleyo ukukhotyokiswa zizo; abo bathi, ngenxa yozuko lwasezulwini, emiphefumlweni yabo baluthiyile uzuko olulambathayo neendumiso zabantu; abo bakunqumlayo ukuthanda kwabo, baba ngabalusi, njengezimvu ezingenabungozi; abo bathe bafa emzimbeni kuzo zonke izenzo ezibi, bebulaleka ukubila ekulimeni izidima kwaye bekhokelwa ebomini ngentando yomqhubi wenqwelomoya yedwa, befa ngokuthobela nokuvuka kwakhona; abo bathi, ngenxa yokoyika uThixo, nangenxa yenkumbulo yokufa, bantywizise iinyembezi imini yonke nobusuku bonke, bawe ngobuqhetseba ezinyaweni zeNkosi, becela inceba noxolelo lwezono. Abanjalo, ngazo zonke izenzo ezilungileyo, bafika kwimeko entle, kwaye, njengabo balila mihla le yaye benkqonkqoza ngenzondelelo, bazitsalela inceba. Ngokuthandaza rhoqo, ukububula okungabonakaliyo kunye nemilambo yeenyembezi, bahlambulule umphefumlo kwaye, bebona ukuhlanjululwa kwayo, babona umlilo wothando kunye nomlilo wokufuna ukuwubona uhlanjululwe ngokupheleleyo. Kodwa ekubeni kungenakwenzeka ukuba bafumane isiphelo sehlabathi, ukuhlanjululwa kwabo akupheli. Kuba kungakhathaliseki ukuba mna, onosizi, ndihlanjululwe kwaye ndikhanyiselwa kangakanani, kungakhathaliseki ukuba ndibona uMoya oyiNgcwele endihlambulula, kuya kuhlala kubonakala kum ukuba esi sisiqalo nje sokuhlanjululwa kunye nombono, kuba kubunzulu obungenasiphelo. Ekuphakameni okungenakulinganiswa, ngubani na ongawufumanayo phakathi nesiphelo? Ndiyazi ukuba kuninzi ukuKhanya, kodwa andazi ukuba kungakanani na. Ndinqwenela ngakumbi nangakumbi, ndihlala ndincwina ukuba ndinikwe okuncinci (nangona kubonakala kuninzi kum) xa kuthelekiswa noko, njengoko ndicinga, kukude kum, endikunqwenelayo xa ndibona kwaye ndicinga ukuba akukho nto ndiyenzayo. ndinayo, kuba andibuva ubutyebi endibunikweyo konke konke, nangona ndibona iLanga, andicingi ukuba linjalo. Ngeyiphi indlela? – mamela kwaye ukholwe. Oko ndikubonayo liLanga, Elithandeka ngendlela engenakuchazwa ngokweemvakalelo; Itsalela umphefumlo kuThando olungenakuthethwa nolungcwele. Umphefumlo, ukumbona, uvutha kwaye uvutha ngothando, unqwenela ukuba ngaphakathi kwayo ngokupheleleyo loo nto, kodwa awukwazi, kwaye ngoko ke udabukile kwaye awusayi kukubona kukuhle ukumbona nokuziva. Xa Lowo ndimbonayo kwaye engakwazi ukubanjwa nguye nabani na, njengongenakulinganiswa, unqwenela ukuba nenceba kumphefumlo wam otyumkileyo nothobekileyo, ngoko njengoko ebonakala kum, ekhanya phambi kobuso bam, uba nguye okhanyayo kum, endizalisa ngokupheleleyo, ndithobekile, ngalo lonke uvuyo, wonke umnqweno kunye nobumnandi obungcwele. Olu lutshintsho olukhawulezileyo kunye notshintsho olumangalisayo, kwaye okwenzekayo kum akubonakali ngamazwi. Emva koko, ukuba umntu wabona ukuba eli langa, elibonakala kubo bonke, lihla entliziyweni yakhe kwaye yonke into yahlala kuye, kwaye yayiza kukhanya, ngaba wayengayi kufa ngenxa yommangaliso aze abe sisimumu, kwaye bonke abayibonayo le nto? Kodwa ukuba nabani na ubona uMdali welanga, enjengesibane, ekhanya ngaphakathi kwakhe, esenza yaye ethetha, akayi kumangaliswa aze angcangcazele ngumbono onjalo? Kwenzeka njani ukuba angamthandi uMniki-Bomi wakhe? Abantu bayabathanda abantu abafana nabo xa kubo bebonakala bebhetele kunabanye; UMdali wabo bonke, okuphela kongafiyo nonamandla onke, othe, akumbona, angayi kumthanda? Ukuba baninzi abathe bakholwa ngokuva, bamthanda, baza abangcwele bafela Yena, ukanti badla ubomi, ngoko ke abo bathe basabelo kwimibono yakhe nakukukhanya, okwaziwayo nguye, bemazi, bangathini na ukungamthandi. ? Ndixelele ukuba, ngenxa yakhe, bathini na ukulila bangaphezi? Abayi kulidela njani ihlabathi nezinto ezisehlabathini? Bangathini na ke abo bangayi kulilahla lonke uzuko nozuko, abathe, bakuba benyukile bonke uzuko nembeko yasemhlabeni, bayithanda iNkosi, bamfumana lowo ungaphaya komhlaba, nazo zonke izinto ezibonakalayo, Lowo wadala zonke izinto ezibonakalayo nezingabonakaliyo, XNUMX Kuba kukho uzuko olungenakonakala, ukuba kukho konke okulungileyo ekusweleni kona? Kananjalo, lonke uxolelo lwezono kunye nawo wonke umnqweno weentsikelelo ezingunaphakade kunye nezinto ezingcwele, njengohlobo oluthile lobutyebi, baphuma kumthombo ofanayo ophilileyo ongunaphakade, osinika thina, Nkosi, nabo bonke abakufunayo nabakuthanda ngokunyanisekileyo, Ewe, wena kunye nosapho lwakho unandiphe iintsikelelo zakho ngonaphakade kanaphakade.
Ngubani na ongaxelayo ngawe, Nkosi?
Abakwaziyo balahlekisiwe, bengazi nto konke;
Ababaziyo ngokholo ubuThixo bakho
Bangenwa luloyiko olukhulu, bankwantya kukungcangcazela;
Ndingazi ukuba ndithini kubo ngawe, kuba ungaphaya kwengqondo,
Kwaye yonke into enawe ayinakuphelelwa yingcinga kwaye ayiqondwa:
Imisebenzi nozuko lwaKho, nolwazi lwaKho.
Siyazi ukuba unguThixo, kwaye siyakubona ukukhanya kwakho,
Kodwa ukuba uyintoni kwaye uluhlobo luni na, akukho mntu uyazi ngokuqinisekileyo.
Noko ke, sinethemba, sinokholo
Kwaye siyalwazi uthando osinike lona,
Ayinamda, ayichazeki, ayiqondakalanga nangayiphi na indlela,
okukuKhanya,
Ukukhanya akuthinteki kwaye kwenza yonke into.
Ngamanye amaxesha kuthiwa sisandla sakho, ngamanye amaxesha iliso,
Ngoku ngemilebe engcwele, kwandule ke ngamandla, kwaza ngozuko;
Obo kwaziwa njengobona buso buhle.
Ulilanga elingatshoniyo kwabo baphakamileyo ekwazini ubuThixo,
Uyinkwenkwezi ekhanya ngonaphakade kwabo
ezingaqulathanga nto.
Kusisichasi sosizi, kugxotha ubutshaba
Kwaye utshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo umona kaSathana.
Ekuqaleni, uyathamba, asulungekise, asulungekise;
Ugxotha iingcinga kunye nokunciphisa ukunyakaza.
Ufundisa ngokufihlakeleyo ukuthobeka
Kwaye ayikuvumeli ukusasazeka nokugxadazela.
Kwelinye icala. Yahlula ngokucacileyo kwihlabathi
Kwaye ikwenza ulibale zonke izinto ezibuhlungu ebomini.
Wondla kwaye aphelise unxano ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo;
Yaye ubomeleza abo basebenza kakuhle.
Ubuyekeza ingqumbo nentlungu yentliziyo;
Ukungavumeli ngokupheleleyo ukuba nomsindo okanye ukucaphuka.
Xa esabayo, abo bangxwelerhekileyo nguye bayamsukela.
Kwaye ngothando olukhulu olusuka entliziyweni bamfuna.
Xa ebuya, abonakale, kwaye akhazimle ngothando,
Ikhuthaza abo basukelayo ukuba bamfulathele kwaye bazithobe.
Kwaye, ukufunwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo, kukhuthaza ukushenxa kuloyiko
Hayi indlela engafanelekanga ngayo ukulunga okunje, ukodlula zonke izidalwa.
Owu Sisipho esingenakuchazwa nesingaqondakaliyo!
Kuba yintoni na Angayenziyo nengenzekiyo!
Uyolo novuyo, ubulali noxolo;
Inceba ayinamda, ngumhadi wokupha.
Ubonwa ngokungabonakaliyo, ungena endaweni
Kwaye iqulethwe engqondweni yam ngokungagungqiyo nangokungabambekiyo.
Ukuba ndinaye, andicingi, kodwa ndiyacamngca ade emke,
Ndizama ukuMbamba ngokukhawuleza, kodwa uyabhabha emke.
Ndididekile kwaye ndivutha, ndifunda ukubuza
Kwaye Mfuneni ngokulila nangokuthobeka okukhulu
Kwaye musa ukucinga ukuba amandla angaphezu kwawemvelo anokwenzeka
Ngenxa yamandla am okanye umzamo womntu,
Kodwa-ngenxa yobubele bukaThixo kunye nenceba engapheliyo.
Ukuvela ixesha elifutshane kwaye ezifihla. Yena
Nganye, ukhupha inkanuko esuka entliziyweni.
Kuba umntu akanakoyisa inkanuko,
Ukuba akezi kuhlangula;
Kwaye kwakhona, akusiyo yonke into ngokukhawuleza,
kuba uMoya uphela akunakwenzeka kwakanye;
Ungumntu womphefumlo kwaye ungabinamdla.
Kodwa xa ekwenzile konke anako:
Ukungafumani, ukungakhethi buso, ukususwa kowakho,
Ukuphelisa intando kunye nokulahla ihlabathi,
Umonde wezilingo, umthandazo kunye nokukhala,
Ubuhlwempu nokuthobeka, kangangoko unako amandla;
Emva koko ixesha elifutshane, njengokuba kunjalo, ukukhanya okuncinci kunye nokuncinci,
Ngokumangalisayo ejikeleze ingqondo yakhe, uya kumenza abe nomsindo,
Kodwa, ukuze angafi, uya kumshiya kamsinya
Ngesantya esikhulu kangaka, nokuba ucinga ntoni na,
Akunakwenzeka ukuba umntu obonayo akhumbule ubuhle bokukhanya,
Hleze, eseyinkwenkwe, akuve ukudla kwabagqibeleleyo
Akachithanga ke kwaoko, akamenzakaliswanga;
Ngoko ke, ukususela ngoko, ukuKhanya kuyakhokela, komeleza kwaye kuyala;
Xa simdinga
Uyavela abaleke;
Hayi xa sithanda, kuba lo ngumsebenzi wabagqibeleleyo;
Kodwa xa sisebunzimeni kwaye singenamandla ngokupheleleyo,
Uza kuhlangula, enyuka evela kude;
Kwaye indenza ndizive entliziyweni yam
Ndibethwa, ndiphefumla, ndifuna ukuMbamba.
Kodwa ubusuku bonke. Ngezandla ezingenanto kunye nosizi,
Ndilibale yonke into, ndihlala phantsi ndikhala
Bengathembi elinye ixesha lokumbona kwangolo hlobo.
Xa, emva kokukhala ngokwaneleyo, ndifuna ukuyeka,
Ke yena, esiza, ngokufihlakeleyo usichukumisa isithsaba sam,
Ndasehla iinyembezi ndingazi nokuba ngubani;
Aze ke ayikhanyisele ingqondo yam ngokona kuKhanya kumnandi.
Ndizokwazi nini. Ngubani. Ngoko nangoko uyabhabha
Eshiya kum umlilo wothando lukaThixo kuYe,
Okungakuvumeli ukuba uhleke okanye ujonge abantu,
Ungawamkeli umnqweno wayo nantoni na ebonwayo.
Kancinci, ngomonde, iyavutha kwaye idumbe,
Ukuba lidangatye elikhulu elifikelela eZulwini.
Icinywa kukuphumla kunye nokuzonwabisa ngemisebenzi yasekhaya,
Kuba kwasekuqalekeni kuxhalabele izinto zehlabathi;
Ibuyisela ukuthula nentiyo kulo lonke uzuko
Ubhadula emhlabeni, uzinyathele njengomgquba;
Kuba kukholekile kuloo nto, aze ke athande ukubakho;
Ngokufundisa oku kuzithoba okukhulu.
Ke xa ndiyifumana kwaye ndithobeke,
Ngoko akanakwahlulwa kum:
Uthetha nam, uyandikhanyisela,
Ndijonge, kwaye ndijonge kuYe.
Usentliziyweni yam kwaye useZulwini.
Undicacisela izibhalo, andise ukwazi kum;
Undifundisa iimfihlelo, endingenako ukuzithetha;
Ubonisa indlela awandithabatha ngayo ehlabathini,
Kwaye undiyalela ukuba ndibe nenceba kubo bonke abasehlabathini.
Ngoko iindonga ziyandibamba kwaye umzimba undibambe
Kodwa ngenene, ndingaphandle kwamathandabuzo, ngaphandle kwabo.
Andiziva zandi kwaye andiva namazwi.
Andikoyiki ukufa, kuba ndigqithile kuko.
Andazi ukuba yintoni usizi, nangona wonke umntu undenza buhlungu.
Zikrakra kum iziyolo, zonke iziyolo zibaleka kum
Kwaye ndihlala ndibona ukukhanya ubusuku nemini,
Ubusuku bubusuku kum kwaye ubusuku yimini.
Andifuni nokulala, kuba yilahleko le kum.
Xa zonke iintlobo zeengxaki zindingqongile
Ke bona baya kubhukuqwa, bandoyise;
Emva koko mna, ngequbuliso ndizifumana ndinoKhanya ngaphaya kwayo yonke into
Uvuyo kunye nosizi, kunye neziyolo zehlabathi,
Ndonwabela uvuyo olungathethekiyo nolungcwele,
Ndibuvuyela ubuhle bakhe, Ndihlala ndimwola.
Ndincamisa kwaye ndigobe ngombulelo omkhulu
Kwabo bandinika ithuba lokubona into endiyinqwenelayo,
Kwaye uthabathe ukuKhanya okungenakuchazwa kwaye ube ukukhanya,
Kwaye isipho sakhe sokujoyina ukusuka apha,
Kwaye ufumane uMniki wazo zonke iintsikelelo,
Nokungavinjwa izipho ezizezoMoya.
Ngubani owanditsalayo waza wandikhokelela kwezi ntsikelelo?
Ngubani owandinyusayo enzonzobileni yolahlekiso lwehlabathi?
Owandahlukanisa notata nabantakwethu, bahlobo
Nezalamane, iziyolo nolonwabo lwehlabathi?
owandibonisayo indlela yokuguquka nokukhala;
Ndifumene usuku olungenasiphelo?
Yayisingelosi, kungekhona umntu, * Noko ke, indoda enjalo,
Ngubani olihlekayo ihlabathi, anyathele inamba;
obukho bakhe iidemon ziyangcangcazela.
Njengoko ndikuxelela, mzalwana, oko ndakubonayo eYiputa.
Ngemiqondiso nezimanga awazenzayo?
Ndiza kukuxelela into enye okwangoku, kuba andinakukuxelela yonke into.
Wehla waza wandifumana ndilikhoboka nowasemzini eYiputa.
Athi yiza apha mntanam ndikuse kuThixo.
Kwaye ngenxa yokungakholelwa okukhulu ndamphendula:
Nguwuphi na umqondiso eniya kundibonisa wona, ukuze nindiqinisekise?
Ukuze undikhulule ngokwakho eYiputa
Kwaye weba ezandleni zikaFaro okhohlisayo;
Ukuze ngokukulandela ndingabi sengozini ngakumbi?
Wathi, vuthisa umlilo omkhulu, ukuze ndingene phakathi;
Ukuba ke andithanga ndihlale ndivutha, musani ukundilandela.
La mazwi andibetha. Ndenza ngokomyalelo.
Kwavutha amadangatye, wema yena esazulwini.
Ndikhuselekile, wandimema nam.
Ndiyayoyika, nkosi, benditshilo, ngokuba ndingumoni.
Uphume emlilweni, weza kum, wandanga.
Wathi kum, yini na ukuba woyike, ungcangcazele?
Mkhulu kwaye uyoyikeka lo mmangaliso? - uya kubona ngaphezu koku.
Ndoyika kakhulu, mhlekazi, ndithe, kwaye andinamdla wokusondela kuwe.
Andifuni ukuba nesibindi ngaphezu komlilo,
Kuba ndiyabona ukuba uyindoda emntwini;
Kwaye andinabuganga bakubuka kuwe, wena umlilo udane ngaye.
Uye wandisondeza wandigona
Waphinda wandanga ngondango olungcwele.
Yena ngokwakhe uliqhola lonke ivumba lokungafi.
Emva koko ndakholwa, ndamlandela ngothando.
Unqwenela ukuba likhoboka lakhe yedwa.
UFaro wandibamba esandleni sakhe; nabancedisi bakhe aboyikekayo
Wandinyanzela ukuba ndihoye izitena neendiza
Ndandingaphuncuki ndedwa, kuba ndandingenasixhobo.
UMoses* wambongoza uYehova ukuba amncede
UKristu ubetha iYiputa ngezibetho eziphindwe kashumi.
Akavuma uFaro, akandikhulula.
Wathandaza uyise, uThixo wamva kuye, athi kumkhonzi wakhe, sibambe isandla sam;
Ethembisa ukuhamba nathi;
Ukuze ndihlangulwe kuFaro nakwintlekele yaseYiputa.
Ubeke isibindi entliziyweni yam
Wandinika isibindi sokungamoyiki uFaro.
Wenjenjalo umkhonzi kaThixo:
Wandibamba ngesandla, wahamba phambi kwam
Saye saqalisa ke ukwenza uhambo.
Ndinike. Nkosi, ngemithandazo kabawo, ukuqonda
Nelizwi lokuxela ngemisebenzi ebalulekileyo yesandla sakho;
Owandenzela kona, olahlekileyo nolahlekileyo,
Ngesandla somkhonzi wakho undikhuphe eYiputa.
Wathi akuva ngokumka kwam, ukumkani waseYiputa
Akazange andihoye ukuba ndinjalo, akazange aphume ngokwakhe.
Ke yena wathumela izicaka zakhe ukuba zimthobele.
Bagidima, bandifumana emideni yeYiputa;
Kodwa bonke babuya bephethe nto, baqhekezwa;
Bawaphula amakrele abo, bahexa iintolo zabo;
Izandla zabo zithambile, zisebenza ngokuchasene nathi;
Kwaye sasingonakalanga kwaphela.
Kwasitsha umqulu womlilo phambi kwethu, kukho ilifu phezu kwethu;
Kwaye sadlula sodwa kwilizwe lasemzini
Phakathi kwezihange, phakathi kwezizwe ezinkulu nookumkani.
Wathi ukumkani akuva ngokoyiswa kwabantu bakhe.
Waza wavutha ngumsindo, ekubonile ukuba lihlazo elikhulu
Ukuxhatshazwa kunye nokoyiswa ngumntu omnye.
Wabopha iinqwelo zakhe zokulwa, wabaphakamisa abantu
Kwaye wazisukela ngokuqhayisa okukhulu.
Uthe ke akufika, wandifumana ndedwa ndilele ngenxa yokudinwa;
Wavuka uMoses, wathetha noThixo.
Wathi mandibotshwe iinyawo nezandla;
Kwaye, ngokundigcina engqondweni, bazama ukunitha;
Ndangqengqa ndahleka, ndixhobe ngomthandazo
Kwaye ngomqondiso womnqamlezo, wazibonakalisa zonke.
Andifuni ukuchukumisa okanye ukusondela kum,
Bona ke, bemi mgama, bacinga ukundoyikisa.
Bebambe umlilo ezandleni zabo, bandigrogrisa ngokunditshisa
Batsho ngesikhalo esikhulu benza ingxolo.
Hleze baqhayise, ngokuba benze into enkulu;
Babona ukuba nam ndaba sisikhanyiso ngemithandazo kabawo.
Bahlazekile, bemka bonke kunye ngequbuliso.
Wemka uMoses kuThixo, wandifumana ndinobukroti.
Ndonwabile kwaye ndingcangcazela ngulo mmangaliso,
Buziwe ukuba kwenzeke ntoni? Ndamxelela yonke lento:
kwabakho uFaro ukumkani waseYiputa;
Yiza ngoku kunye nabantu abaninzi,
Wayengenakundibopha; ebefuna ukunditshisa
Kwaye bonke abo babehamba naye baba ngamadangatye.
ekhuphela umlilo emlonyeni wakhe;
Kodwa ngenxa yemithandazo yakho babona ukuba ndaba lukhanyiso.
Emva koko yonke into yajika yaba bubumnyama; kwaye ngoku ndindedwa.
Yabona, wandiphendula uMoses, musa ukuzidla;
Musa ukujonga izinto ezicacileyo, ngakumbi yoyika imfihlelo.
Khawuleza! masixhakamfule ngokomthetho kaThixo;
Kwaye uKristu uya kuwoyisa amaJiputa endaweni yethu.
Yiza, mhlekazi, ndithe, andiyi kwahlukaniswa nawe.
Andiyi kuwugqitha umthetho wakho, kodwa ndiya kuzigcina zonke. Amen.
* Apha iSt. Simeon ithetha ngoyise wokomoya, uSimeyon iSifundo, okanye Ohlonelwayo.—Phawula.
** Oko kukuthi, ubawo wokomoya kaSt. Simeon, ekuthethwe ngaye ngasentla.—Phawula.
Umthombo: USimeyon iNtsha yezakwalizwi (59, 157-164). – Iculo 37. Ukufundisa ngemfundiso yobuthixo ngezenzo zoThando oluNgcwele, oko kukuthi, ukuKhanya koMoya oyiNgcwele.
Ifoto ngu-Igor Starkov:
